Kim's research, detailed further in the full dissertation synopsis, reconsiders the history of Korea-Japan relations through the lens of the sea, examining how postwar disputes between Japan and South Korea over fisheries and maritime boundaries reflect broader conflicts of "oceanic decolonization." Drawing on Japanese, Korean, and English-language sources alongside archival research and site visits, the dissertation traces developments from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century, showing how struggles over marine resources shaped both the expansion of the Japanese Empire in Korea and the formation of postcolonial sovereignty in Northeast Asia.
The award committee, composed of Sabine Frühstück (Committee Chair, University of California, Santa Barbara), David Leheny (Waseda University), and Kiyoteru Tsutsui (Stanford University), praised the dissertation in its full laudatio as "extremely well-sourced and researched, highly original, and beautifully written." The committee noted that Kim's work speaks to economic, environmental, legal, and political questions that remain relevant today, tracing how tensions between Japanese and Korean fishing interests in the postwar era ultimately reshaped the global maritime order in the ongoing quest toward a more equitable regime of access to ocean resources.
In a video message shared following the announcement, Kim said, “I'm humbled to receive this prize honoring Professor Samuels and his important work, which has been foundational to my own thinking. Korea and Japan were a key part of the global conversation, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to shed some light on these important historical developments."
The Richard J. Samuels Dissertation Award in Japanese Studies, which carries a $2,500 honorarium, was launched in 2024 as the USJF Scholar Dissertation Award and renamed in 2026 to honor former USJF Trustee Professor Richard J. Samuels for his lifelong contributions to Japanese Studies. Dr. Qiaoyan Li Rosenberg, now an Assistant Professor at the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study, received the inaugural award in 2025.
Details on the next dissertation award cycle will be announced later this year.